Asteriscus plant named ‘Compact Gold Coin’

ABSTRACT

A distinct cultivar of Asteriscus plant named ‘Compact Gold Coin’, characterized by its low spreading, mounding and compact plant habit; dark green foliage; numerous daisy-type inflorescences with widely-spaced ray florets; attractive bright lemon yellow ray florets; and excellent garden performance with good tolerance to high temperatures.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar ofAsteriscus plant, botanically known as Asteriscus maritimus and referredto by the cultivar name Compact Gold Coin.

The new cultivar is a product of a planned breeding program conducted bythe Inventor in Billerbeck, Germany. The objective of the breedingprogram is to develop new compact Asteriscus cultivars.

The new cultivar originated from a self-pollination made by the Inventorin 1993, of the Asteriscus maritimus cultivar Gold Coin, not patented.

The cultivar Compact Gold Coin was discovered and selected by theInventor as a flowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross ina controlled environment in Billerbeck, Germany, in 1993. The selectionof this new Asteriscus plant was based on its more compact and lessupright plant habit compared to the parent cultivar, Gold Coin. Inaddition, ray florets of the new Asteriscus are more widely spaced thanray florets of the cultivar Gold Coin and are more tolerant to hightemperatures.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by terminal cuttings taken in acontrolled environment in Billerbeck, Germany, and Bonsall, Calif., hasshown that the unique features of this new Asteriscus are stable andreproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The cultivar Compact Gold Coin has not been observed under all possibleenvironmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat withvariations in environment such as temperature, daylength and lightintensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘Compact Gold Coin’. Thesecharacteristics in combination distinguish ‘Compact Gold Coin’ as a newand distinct cultivar:

1. Low spreading, mounding and compact plant habit.

2. Dark green foliage.

3. Numerous daisy-type inflorescences with widely-spaced ray florets.

4. Attractive bright lemon yellow ray florets.

5. Excellent garden performance, tolerant to high temperatures.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearanceof the new cultivar, showing the colors as true as it is reasonablypossible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type.

The photograph on the first sheet comprises a top perspective view of atypical flowering plant of ‘Compact Gold Coin’.

The photograph at the top of the second sheet is a close-up view of atypical plant of ‘Compact Gold Coin’.

The photograph at the bottom of the second sheet is a close-up view ofdeveloping inflorescences and leaves of a typical plant of ‘Compact GoldCoin’. Foliage and floret colors in the photographs may appear differentfrom the actual colors due to light reflectance.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The following observations, measurements and values describe plants ofthe new cultivar grown with three plants in a 25.5-cm container inBonsall, Calif., under outdoor, full-sun conditions with daytemperatures ranging from 18 to 35° C. and night temperatures rangingfrom 13 to 18° C.

Color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society ColourChart except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance areused.

Botanical classification: Asteriscus maritimus cultivar Compact GoldCoin.

Parentage: Self-pollination of Asteriscus maritimus cultivar Gold Coin,not patented.

Propagation:

Type.—Terminal tip cuttings.

Time to rooting.—About 14 days with soil temperatures of 22° C.

Root description.—Fine.

Plant description:

Appearance.—Perennial herbaceous daisy-type garden Asteriscus. Low,compact, spreading and mounding growth habit. Freely branching withlateral branches potentially developing at every node.

Crop time.—From planting rooted cuttings, about 8 to 12 weeks arerequired to produce a finished, flowering plant.

Vigor.—Low to moderately vigorous.

Plant height.—About 10 cm.

Plant spread.—About 16 to 20 cm.

Lateral branch description.—Length: About 8 to 10 cm. Diameter: About 4mm. Internode length: About 1 to 1.5 cm. Texture: Viscous; fuzzy. Color:145B to 145C.

Foliage description.—Leaves alternate, single. Quantity: Numerous, about16 per lateral branch. Length, fully expanded leaves: About 7.75 cm.Width, fully expanded leaves: About 1.85 cm. Shape: Oblanceolate. Apex:Obtuse. Base: Attenuate. Margin: Entire. Aspect: Mostly flat. Texture:Coarse; granular; slightly pubescent on both surfaces. Color: Youngfoliage, upper surface: 137B. Young foliage, lower surface: 137D. Fullyexpanded foliage, upper surface: 137A. Fully expanded foliage, lowersurface: 137C. Attenuated leaf base: 144B to 144C. Venation, uppersurface: 137A. Venation, lower surface: 137D.

Inflorescence description:

Appearance.—Daisy-type composite inflorescence form; actinomorphic.Single inflorescences displayed above foliage, about threeinflorescences per lateral branch, upright on peduncles arising fromleaf axils. Disc and ray florets arranged acropetally on a capitulum.Numerous inflorescences; typically about 32 opened and unopenedinflorescences per plant. Inflorescences last about two weeks.Inflorescences persistent.

Flowering response.—Plants flower continuously from April to October inthe Northern Hemisphere.

Fragrance.—Not detected.

Inflorescence size.—Diameter: About 3.6 cm. Depth (height): About 1.3cm. Diameter of disc: About 1.7 cm.

Inflorescence buds.—Length: About 1 cm. Width: About 8 mm. Shape: Ovoid.Color: 1A.

Ray florets.—Length: About 1.7 cm. Width: About 4 mm. Shape: Ligulate.Apex: Tri-dentate. Base: Attenuate. Margin: Entire. Aspect: Flat; heldupright, about 135° to peduncle; widely spaced. Texture: Smooth, satiny.Number per inflorescence: About 28 in a single whorl. Color: Whenopening, upper surface: 14B. When opening, lower surface 4B. Fullyopened, upper surface: 14A. Fully opened, lower surface: 8A.

Disc florets.—Shape: Tubular. Number per inflorescence: Numerous, about300. Length: About 6 mm. Width: About 2 mm. Color: Immature: 1C. Mature:9B.

Phyllaries.—Shape: Ligulate. Apex: Rounded. Margin: Entire. Quantity:About 14 per inflorescence in a single whorl. Texture: Pubescent. Color:Upper surface: 146A. Lower surface: 147B.

Peduncle.—Length: About 1 cm. Aspect: Moderately strong, inflorescencesheld above and beyond foliage. Texture: Coarse; granular; pubescent.Color: 145B.

Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Present on disc florets only. Stamens:Five. Anther shape: Oblong. Anther size: About 1.5 mm. Anther color:14A. Pollen amount: Moderate. Pollen color: 14A. Gynoecium: Present onray and disc florets. Pistils: One. Pistil length: About 4 mm. Stigmashape: Bipartite. Stigma color: 9A. Style length: About 3 mm. Stylecolor: 9D. Ovary color: 1D.

Seed.—Seed development has not been observed.

Disease resistance: Resistance to pathogens common to Asteriscus has notbeen observed on plants of the new Asteriscus.

Heat tolerance: Plants of the new Asteriscus have demonstrated goodtolerance to high temperatures.

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of Asteriscus plant